Jones Swats Two Home Runs in Win over MVSU, 7-4

Tuesday

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama senior first baseman Clay Jones hit two home runs to lead the Crimson Tide to a 7-4 win over Mississippi Valley State at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Tuesday night.

Jones hit a two-run home run in the Tide's four-run first inning and then hit the first of two home runs in the eighth as the Crimson Tide added a pair of insurance runs.

Jones provided most of the offense to support freshman left-hander Taylor Wolfe, who struck out a career-high 11 batters in seven innings for his third win of the season. Wolfe allowed four runs and seven hits in his first start since April 4 and added three walks. The 11 strikeouts eclipsed his previous high of seven set against Georgia on March 3. The Georgia game was his first collegiate start.

Alabama (26-15) extended its winning streak to four games with the win on Tuesday. Mississippi Valley State (20-21) had its nine-game winning halted with the loss. The nine-game winning was the fourth-longest active streak in Division I baseball entering Tuesday's games.

Alabama jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning, but saw Mississippi Valley State score four runs in the middle innings to close the lead to one run after six innings.

Sophomore center fielder Taylor Dugas led off the game with a walk and moved to third on junior shortstop Josh Rutledge's double into the left-center field gap.

Junior second baseman Ross Wilson followed with a triple over the head of MVSU centerfielder Allen Cheek to give the Tide an early 2-0 lead. Jones followed a two-run home run off the batter's eye in center field to give Alabama a 4-0 lead.

Alabama added another run in the second inning when Dugas reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Rutledge's triple off the top of wall in left-center field to put the Tide in front 5-0.

The Crimson Tide had chances to extend its lead, but left the bases loaded in second inning and stranded three more bases runners in the fourth winning.

Mississippi Valley State right-hander Jesus Aleman (2-3) allowed five runs and five hits in five innings of work, but walked six and allowed five extra base hits.

The Delta Devils got on the board in the fifth inning when Denvarus Turner homered with two outs. It was his second home run of the season.

Mississippi Valley State scored three more runs in the sixth inning to close the gap to 5-4. Jerry Hildreth reached on a two-out single to center and moved to second on a wild pitch. Paul Olson drew a walk and Donquarious Farmer stroked a double to left field to score Hildreth with the first run. Luke Walker followed with a two-run single to left to score Olson and Farmer as MVSU cut the lead to 5-4.

Wolfe got Curtis Ford to fly out to left field to end the inning and then struck out the side in the seventh inning before leaving the game.

The game remained tight as Alabama stranded a leadoff double in the fifth and left two more runners in the sixth. In the seventh, Alabama left the bases loaded marking the third time in the game UA left three men on base.

Jones and Smith added insurance runs in the eighth inning with back-to-back home runs off MVSU right-hander Cody Parker, who made his NCAA-leading 32 appearance on the mound.

Jones slammed a 1-0 pitch over the trees in left field to extend the lead to 6-4. Smith followed with a home run to left-center to make it 7-4. It was the first time UA hitters connected on back-to-back home runs this season.

Alabama and Mississippi Valley State will play the final game of this two-game series on Wednesday, April 28, at 6:35 p.m. (CDT). Alabama is scheduled to start junior left-hander Adam Morgan (4-2, 5.85 ERA), who is expected to pitch only one inning. MVSU is expected to send senior right-hander Britt Goodman (2-3, 7.99 ERA).

GAME NOTES:

*Alabama extended its winning streak to four games with its 7-4 win over Mississippi Valley State. The four-game winning streak is the longest by the Crimson Tide winning eight straight games from March 12-20.

*The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series with the Delta Devils, 12-0. The two teams first met in 2002 and have met at least once in each of the last nine years. Alabama also improved to 49-3 all-time against teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, including a 21-game winning streak that dates back to 1988.

*Alabama tied its season high with three home runs on Tuesday. The Crimson Tide also hit three home runs against Stony Brook on March 13 and LSU on April 17. Alabama has homered in five of its last six games and has 11 home runs in those six games.

*Senior first baseman Clay Jones hit two home runs on Tuesday, his first career multi-home run game at Alabama. He finished the night by going 2-for-2 with two home runs and three RBI and was hit by a pitch three times.

*Freshman left-hander Taylor Wolfe had a career-high 11 strikeouts against Mississippi Valley State. His previous high was seven against Georgia in his first collegiate start on March 3. The 11 strikeouts equal the most by an Alabama pitcher this season. Adam Morgan had 11 strikeouts in the 2010 season opener against South Alabama and Jimmy Nelson added 11 strikeouts at College of Charleston on March 6.

*Senior third baseman Jake Smith extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his solo home run in the eighth inning.

*Junior shortstop Josh Rutledge went 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He had a double in the first inning and an RBI triple in the third inning.

*Junior second baseman Ross Wilson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI to extend his hitting streak seven games. Wilson had a two-run triple in the first inning and a two-out single in the sixth. He also walked twice.

*Sophomore center fielder Taylor Dugas was hitless in three at-bats on Tuesday but reached base twice to extend his on-base streak to 30 consecutive games.

*Senior catcher Cody Trotter threw out two of three MVSU base stealers on Tuesday. The Delta Devils entered the game with 120 stolen bases in 40 games, which ranked third among NCAA Division I teams.

*Redshirt freshman Kent Myer made his first collegiate start Tuesday night in left field and collected his first outfield assist of the season. He is the sixth different UA outfielder to record an assist this season.

*Alabama recorded its 12th outfield assist of the 2010 season in the top of the fourth inning. Jerry Hildreth tried to score from first base on Paul Olson's double to left-center field but was thrown out at home on when left fielder Kent Myer threw to shortstop Josh Rutledge, who fired to Cody Trotter, who applied the tag at home plate.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.